An important problem in the care of plants is their time-delayed reaction to external effects. Even if it is detected that one plant is not optimally cared for, it is often difficult to determine the concrete causes. Added to this is that even a one-time brief event, such as for example a forgotten open window in the winter, can have permanent negative effects on a plant.
The listed problems have led to a number of partial solutions. Some of them are described in the following.
The published US application 2007/0208511 shows the architecture of a computerized plant monitoring system in which the user must classify the plant, however he must do so manually. A sensing element provided with a storage means is inserted into the soil for some length of time, subsequently removed and connected to a computer that reads out the measured and stored data. A corresponding computer program subsequently determines the state of the plant and indicates this state to the user. One disadvantage of this system consists in that no real time observation is possible but only the values of the past can be evaluated. In addition, it appears difficult to utilize the system for plants which must be watered from below. Furthermore, the sensing element is visible since it must be inserted into the soil and be removed again to read it out.
The published US application 2007/0208512 discloses a plant monitoring system that operates in real time and also comprises a sensing element and a computer. The sensing element, again, includes storage means. The profile of the plant is entered into this storage by the computer and the sensing element is placed in the proximity of the plant. As soon as adverse conditions are detected in the vicinity of the plant that could negatively impact the plant, the sensing element will indicate this. Here also sensing element and computer are not connected in real time but the sensing element is connected in advance to the computer in order to store the profile data of the plant. A change of the profile data since their last storage therefore has no effect on the indication of the sensing element.
In the published US application 2007/0208591 a system is described in which a computer is utilized in order to compare vicinity data with stored plant profiles. This is intended to determine which plants are suitable for the selected placement site. The user receives herein directly commercial information for the purchase of such plants.
In the published US application 2007/0208592 a similar computerized selection system is described in which at the site at which a plant is to be placed, a measuring means is installed which records and stores the vicinity data for a certain length of time. The measuring means is subsequently removed, the measured data are transmitted to a computer, analyzed and suggestions are made regarding plants that are suitable for this location.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,975 describes a sensing element with a storage which can be applied in an architecture such as in the above US application 2007/020851. The described sensing element is comprised of two parts. A lower part houses a number of sensors disposed in the ground. The upper part is a detachable communication interface which stores the determined data. The communication interface is manually separated from the sensing element and connected to a computer and can thus transmit to it the stored data. This also does not involve a real time representation.
In the publication DE 10 2007 032 610 a method is proposed for the remote monitoring of the medical status of a user. The data acquisition is performed through sensors applied on the body of the user, which sensors issue data across a multistage data processing system, for example a physician or the user himself. In this publication neither sensors of the type described in this application nor measurements of temperature, humidity/moisture, harmful substance content, etc. are provided in the vicinity of a plant.
Publication EP 0 846 440 involves the monitoring of the physiological status of persons, in particular soldiers. Here the data acquisition also takes place through sensors applied on the body of the soldier and a GPS. Similar to the preceding publication, what is involved here is not the vicinity of a plant but rather measuring in the vicinity of a person.
Publication EP 1 352 606 also involves monitoring physiological data of a patient. Of interest here is that a number of basic data are entered in advance and that limit values are provided. When these limit values are exceeded an alarm report is issued. However, here also monitoring plants is not involved whereby the present application is differentiated.
In the laid open application DE 10 2004 020 515 the remote monitoring of muscle activities in humans and animals is described. The measuring instrument proper is herein separate from the data processing. A small battery-operated device is attached on a patient or animal, which device wirelessly transmits the determined measured values. The differentiation against this publication is again that no reference to plants is made therein.
European patent EP 1 002 496 also involves continuously monitoring and analyzing the physiological functions of a patient. This application deals especially with the wireless remote monitoring of the determined measurement values, which is carried out by means of different radio networks. Neither the communication of the measuring transducer/sensors with each other nor the reference to the vicinity of a plant are disclosed.
Application US 2004/0 088 916 involves a plant monitoring system with a number of sensors which transfer the determined data via radio. However, this system is more directed toward monitoring a commercial cultivation area and does not describe any details such as are contained in the claims of the present application. The present application is hereby differentiated against the above described US application.
Inherent in these offered partial solutions are diverse disadvantages. One disadvantage is the time delay between the detection of adverse conditions and the notification of the owner or user, if such notification is provided at all. Another disadvantage is the impairment of the appearance of the plant if, for example, the sensing elements are visible in the proximity of the plant. It is also cumbersome if a sensing element must be removed in order to read out the data and, in most cases, must also be cleaned before it can be connected to the computer. In addition, the latter requires the presence of the owner or user Inherent in the introduced systems which relate to remote monitoring of persons is accordingly that they do not refer to the monitoring of plants in buildings or in the immediate proximity of a building Inherent in the introduced systems, which relate to the remote monitoring of plants, is that they are either not suitable for remote monitoring or are exclusively for application in commercial cultivation areas. In the second case, there is accordingly no solution for sensors that are too large and disturbing in or on a flower pot.
A further disadvantage of the described systems lies in that each case represents only a partial solution. Stated differently, no fusion of the determined data takes place. However, the entire picture of the state of a plant can only be obtained if all determined data are entered into the depiction of this picture.